Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with razor

Recommend a scooter for a five year old?

mosk — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:12:58 -0800

Recommend a push-type scooter safe for a five year old? Our daughter is turning five. She wants a push-type scooter for her birthday, similar to her big brother's Razor. She doesn't have the balance yet for a two-wheeled Razor-type scooter, so we'd like to get her something more stable. There are a ton of three and four wheeled scooters out there, so I'm hoping some other parents (or five year olds) can help us separate the wheat from the chaff.

If it helps, this will only be used on pavement (and with a helmet and, most likely, gloves).

How to be young again?

colgate — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:19:09 -0800

As an 18-year old male I received a free razor from Gillette. Internet digging tells me Gillette uses an outside source to determine men's birthdays, but no one actually knows. There are tons of blog comments, all of which can be summarized as either "Maybe it's Selective Service" or "Yeah, I got one too, X years ago!" How do I get myself back on the list of 18-year olds for the next razor shipment?

Help me shave without a sink!

indiebass — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:51:19 -0800

How do I shave without a sink? My bathroom sink won't drain at the moment. After a few seconds of water coming out of the faucet I have standing water that doesn't go down for a couple of hours. The landlord is coming out to fix this (supposedly) but it's been a couple weeks, and he told me he'd be here on Monday, but I don't think he was here Monday, and I need a shave today.

I use the badger brush and high quality soap as well as the double-edged single blade safety razor, so when I do shave I actually look forward to it and enjoy it a lot.

The other part of the problem is that I can't shave in the shower because there's barely enough hot water in this place to take a shower, much less shower + shave. (I live in a house that's been converted to two apartments, there's a family beneath me and basically a hot water heater big enough for one household, not two) So, overarching problems with the apartment aside, how can I shave without a sink?

Usually I run hot water, lather up the face, and after each pass of the blade, clean it with running water and put blade to face again. I tried keeping a mug of hot water next to the sink and rinsing the blade in it, but all the soap and hairs would float on the top after a couple passes, so I wasn't really cleaning my blade and everything was getting kind of gross.

So what's the solution? I know gentlemen have shaved for centuries without the benefit of running water, but how can *I* do it today? My google-fu has failed me spectacularly in this area. Thanks, as always, in advance! MeFi is the best.

Merkur Safety Razor in DC?

phrontist — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:33:50 -0800

Can I buy a Merkur Safety Razor anywhere in (metro-accessible) DC?

Fire down below!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:58:27 -0800

I am a girl with incredibly sensitive skin. Help me stay free of rashes AND hair "down there"... or convince me it's not worth it (men, please reply). I've tried waxing. I've tried shaving. Epilator? Check. It doesn't seem to matter what method I use, I ALWAYS get a rash.

Sure, it looks good for about a day, or even a week. But my skin is insanely sensitive, and I inevitably get a horrible, painful, scary-looking rash, especially along the edges where my groin and my legs meet. These rashes last 3-7 days.

I have had two long-term relationships where the guy didn't care down about having hair down there, so cool, I trimmed it. I'm single. Every time I am single, I feel OBLIGATED to be hair-free. So I try, but no method seems to work AND be non-irritating.

So far I have tried all of the following:

1. Using a new razor and sensitive skin foam after a bath
2. Professional waxing
3. Home waxing
4. Plucking all the hair with a rounded set of tweezers to avoid wax irritation
5. Nair (dear god never again lol)
6. Electric razor
7. Tend Skin and variations of that stuff
8. Clear deodorant
9. Only wearing skirts/dresses, no tight pants
10. Only shaving in the direction the hair grows
11. Epilator (yes really)
12. Exfoliating the area by every means possible

I feel like I want to have sex in the future, hence the grooming. But I can't always predict when sex will happen! So, guys... if you were going to have sex with a girl and there was some razor burn, primarily obviously on the... um... edges, how grossed out would you be? What if the girl had an STD test and showed you she was disease free, would that reassure you? Is a little hair better than no hair at all and a few red bumps? Ugh I feel so undignified even asking this. Help.

This is embarassing as hell. Throwaway account: embarassingashell at gmail.

Fix for Braun Shaver/Razor Syncro Clean & Charge System?

criticman — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:18:39 -0800

Fix for Braun Shaver/Razor Syncro Clean & Charge System? The base on my system has been broken for years. Here is a replacement: http://www.theessentials.com/jump.jsp?itemID=186&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=186

The upper "arm" that snaps into the bottom of the razor when it is placed in the charge/cleaning station stopped working. It used to snap into place and stay there unless you hit the blue release button on it. Now (and as I said, for years) it never snaps/clicks into place. For about a year, thanks to the position of some shelves in my bathroom at my old house, I could wedge the unit between shelves after inserting the shaver. This kept the top part locked into place & allowed the cleaning and charging cycles to run.

However, in my past two (including my present) living situations, there is no place to wedge it. I spent time on Google seeking answers previously without any luck.

I am hoping someone either A) managed to open it and fix it or B) has a clever way to keep the top locked into place to allow normal operation. Yes, I could spend $50 (plus shipping) to get a new base station, but I worry if they did not update the design, that it may fail (I noticed newer models did not have anything that snapped into the back of the razor, making me believe they recognized the design flaw but chose to ignore it on the old parts).

I love this shaver, but the quality of shave (even with recently replaced foils etc) is not as good as when it is frequently cleaned with the base station. I actually have 3 cleaning cartridges waiting to be used, so hoping someone can help.

How can I put my own mp3/ringtones on my V3A Razor

carefulmonkey — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:46:50 -0800

What is the easiest way to put my own ringtones on my V3A razor I think that ringtones are a ripoff and I want to put my own ringtones on my cell phone. I tried just putting an mp3 on with no luck. I also have a mac if thats of any help

'Razor blade, that's what I call love..'

bradly — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 13:15:29 -0800

Getting into hair! How can I practice cutting it? Just entered the hair cutting world and plan on using solely a texture razor.

I love the effect this style gives.

How can I practice cutting/styling (aside from on myself and others)?

Any other advice for someone embarking on this adventure?

Thanks!

Where to buy a straight razor in Montreal?

royalchinook — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:17:07 -0800

Where to buy a straight razor in Montreal? I'll admit that I haven't looked to hard on my own to find the answer for this but I was wondering if any Montreal-ers know of a good place to buy blades for a straight razor? They're for my wife who is a trained hair dresser and cuts a few peoples hair in our home (she vastly prefers razor with guard over scissors); her supply is getting dull. Thanks!

Beyond the pink daisy shaver...

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:25:48 -0800

I need a razor that won't get clogged with hair. I've combed (har har) through all the Ask Metafilter questions about razors, shaving, etc, but did not find the answers I seek.

I'm a female who lets my body hair grow longer than most do. The reason for this is, if it matters, is because my body hair (legs, underarms, etc) is not only fairly coarse, but also grows quickly. To keep things smooth would require a campaign of daily shaving sessions which I do not have the energy for.

When I do shave, which happens anywhere from 1-5 times per month, I find most disposable razors get clogged from hair fairly quickly and the hair doesn't come out, it just gets stuck in there and can't be rinsed out. Is there a better method of doing this? Am I doomed to using a whole package of razors to get the job done? Are there any razors that you know of that are designed so that the hair shaved doesn't get trapped in the little crevices? It made me wonder about men shaving their body hair, as they generally have much more...how do they cope with this problem?

I understand that alternate methods like waxing, electrolysis and chemical depilatories might be a solution for others but for my own various reasons I have already ruled these methods out. I'm mainly looking for a razor designed to deal with longer hair or some other shaving solution I have not thought of. Thanks for your help.

How to Achieve a Clean Face and a Clean Scalp?

WCityMike — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:10:09 -0800

I could use some shaving tips, with regards to two specific questions: (i) how to achieve a much closer facial shave; and (ii) tips, anecdotes, etc. on headshaving. First, whenever I shave my face and neck, I always seem to leave a slight stubble behind: enough so that the skin is slightly rough to the touch, and is not colored the same as "normal" skin, but not enough that we're talking outgrown hair. In the area of where a mustache would grow, there sometimes seems to be to be stubble "coloration" without any feeling of stubble. I would instead like to have an utterly clean shave -- in other words, the shaved face resembling the coloration and texture of skin where hair does not grow. How do I go about that?

Second, I have decided I really don't care for where male pattern baldness is taking my hair, and am planning to shave my head clean at some point in the next month. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on this, or any anecdotes. Did you make the same decision? Did you regret it, or did you enjoy it? Good change in your life, or bad? If you decided to "go back," how long did it take you to regrow? How did people react? Minor or major changes in your daily routine? Etc., etc., etc. ... just looking for a primer on the experience, basically.

I'm using a Gillette Mach 3 sport razor and Barbasol aloe shaving cream.

Thinking of buying a Razor Phone

ok — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 05:19:42 -0800

How far back does the call log go on a Razor Phone? I need it to go back at least a month.

Occam's Razor hypocritical? Discussion links request.

vanoakenfold — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:36:18 -0800

Deceptively unchatfilter =P I am looking for good discussions on Occam's Razor -- which I think is obscenely absurd. Looking for links to discussions, not necessarily petitioning comments (although welcome). Mostly I'm looking for links to discussions that have already taken place (as in, not currently taking place) or perhaps chat logs, or something of that nature -- discussing the validity of Occam's Razor. I've already seen the wiki.

I just think that trying to whittle down as few assumptions as possible when trying to find an answer, may in fact be the most absurdly irrational assumptions one could possibly make. It's like throwing out all possibilities that involve doing a lot of research (perhaps out of one's field) for the sake of not having to go look stuff up. Is it not largely a way to get out of doing a lot of work?

Extra points if the discussion became so confounded to be ended by Godwin's Law (but not necessary, I just like those) =D

Aw, Crap.

cyrusdogstar — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:24:28 -0800

How likely is it that a woman's disposable razor, accidentally flushed down the toilet, will result in a pipe blockage? The item in question is your typical small woman's disposable razor (the entire thing, plastic handle + blade) which, somehow, was knocked off the edge of the sink at the exact moment that the toilet was flushing. When told of this I immediately assumed that it would get stuck somewhere and handily catch any subsequent toilet paper, thus causing blockage fairly quickly. She seems to think that it's small enough to go all the way through the pipes without much of a problem.

I'll probably call the super tomorrow (we live in a ground floor apartment FWIW) but hopefully someone can either confirm or deny my fears of swimming in sewage :(

Safety razor in Montreal

PowerCat — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 09:31:44 -0800

I've been hyped by all these threads about safety razor and decided that I was gonna stop buying cheap disposable razor and use one of those instead. Where can I find a store of such supplies in downtown Montreal or around downtown.

Best box cutters ever?

sirion — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:09:53 -0800

Box Cutters: I get lots of boxes, and I'd like a device that turns those boxes into small piles of cardboard that fit in my small trash can. What would you recommend? (Bonus for devices that take a minimum of effort and have a low risk of cutting my hands with blades or edges of fast moving cardboard)

how do you shave a gorilla?

krautland — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 21:47:55 -0800

how do you shave a gorilla? the common gorilla is not only the largest of the living primates, it also has the most hair. the fur is thick, warming and stubborn and protects admiringly well from rain, wind, cold, even frost. it equips the gorilla to survive in the trees of borneo just as comfortably as in the congolese jungle. it does not however serve as adequate accessory to a pin-stripe suit in chicago and that is why I am looking for a way to shave a gorilla.

the problem with such thick and healthy hair is that no matter what razor blade you use, you will always end up with a mean five o'clock shadow. that might work wonders for ones social status in grade school but in said pin-stripe suit it comes across as rather scruffy and if you have lowered yourself to wearing a suit, you want to fit in all the way.

so help me shave a gorilla stubble please. I can live with being called a gorilla but I fear I now look like a troglodyte and that just cannot stand. do you use any specific blades or products?

Wet Shaving Accessories in the UK

dance — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 14:41:58 -0800

Where can I order wet-shaving accessories and accoutrement, as per this MSNBC article in the UK? I'm interested in badger shaving brushes, DE razors and quality shave cream. The sites mentioned may ship to England but I thought I'd ask about first. Surely there are some wet-shavers on mefi?

So my boyfriend wants to trim his pubes...

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 09:00:50 -0800

So my boyfriend wants to trim his pubes... And given that razor-sharp face stubble is, well, razor sharp, should I be concerned about razor-sharp pube stubble? If it's just trimmed instead of shaved is it not razor sharp?

Have any of you guys ever used an epilator on your face?

redteam — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 02:51:35 -0800

I'm a man looking for a better "shave". Have any of you guys ever used an epilator on your face? Yes, I've read that one MSNBC article by that one guy who does Shaveblog. He's so full of shit. Ok, maybe not completely full, because I use a brush and mug instead of gel now and it's great, but his advice is all hype. I don't trust him. I honestly gave the whole thing a try for several weeks. Yes, I went and got an old 1940's double-edge Gilette. Yes, I got some rad Merkur blades. Yes, it all looks so cool and everything, but it seriously doesn't even come close to the shave I get with a disposable Shick Xtreme 3 razor.

Still, I'm not satisfied. Shaving sucks. I do not look at shaving as some sort of manly ritual. So now what?

I'm thinking of epilators. Some company named Epilady invented them. I first heard about them in the 80s. Everyone made fun of them because they hurt so bad. They're still being made, apparently. Braun even makes one.

All of the reviews I've found talk about women (and even a man or two) using them on their legs. A lot of pain is mentioned. I haven't seen any man post about his experience with one of these and his face. I'm curious. My face hairs are very thick and very close to each other - would this thing just tear chunks of skin off of my face?

Has anyone else ever tried using an epilator on their face? Is it too painful to even consider doing twice? Does it make your face bright red for more than a few hours? Should I be kicked in the nuts for even asking this?

Cheap safety razor in Toronto

sid — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 07:00:29 -0800

Where can I get a safety razor in Toronto? I located this place, but it seems way too fancy-pants. Barbers to British Royalty? Please! There must be some place to buy safety razors on the cheap, maybe a small ethnic store? I'm sure there are still gentlemen from the old country who shave using a trusty safety razor. Perhaps an Italian bodega? Help me out!

Homemade Cleaning Solution for Braun Syncro?

ND¢ — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 07:10:33 -0800

Anyone know a recipe for a homemade refill for a Braun Syncro electric razor cleaning cartridge? I have a Braun 7526 Syncro Shaver System with Clean & Charge Storage Stand. The "cartridge" light came on this morning, so I have to replace the cleaning cartridge. I would prefer to do this myself, rather than order new cartridges. Googling brought up a recipe of alcohol and lemon juice, but I also read that it might be bad for the machine. I know that they are only $8.99 for two, but I am cheap. Any help would be appreciated. [Links inside]

Smooth like a baby's butt...

aspo — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 23:42:51 -0800

So I've got the razor and the brush, and I'm sold. But what about all those other shaving products? Blades? Creams? Soaps? After shave? Anyone have a good recommendation? Ok, I read about DE razors on ask and after doing a bit more research decided what the hell, I'd just gotten a raise, let's go spend some money on what would probably be a goof. Oh man, was that a good move. I've only used the thing a few times now and I'm totally sold. Goodbye mach 3, goodbye canned shaving cream, probably goodbye faithful seabreeze aftershave, but oh my, there's a whole world out there. What to try next?

On the blade front I've got some Merkur DE blades, but I suspect I'd prefer a slightly cheaper blade I can throw out after a shave or two. You can get wilkonson swords and personnas fairly cheap on the web. Any good? I've also been looking for carbon steel blades, but I don't see anything out there, anyone know if I'm insane for even thinking it?

As for shaving creams/soaps. Oh my there seems to be a lot. And I suspect they last a long time, and I'd feel guilty buying stuff I end up giving up on after a few tries.

And last but not least, aftershave. I've never been a fan of stinky men's aftershaves. Old spice and the like all smell like ass. I don't like colognes, I don't like musk, I just want something that combats razor burn and makes my face feel smooth.

Anyone got some favorites?

Merkur Safety Razors (for Shaving): Pros and cons? For sensitive skin? Anything I should know?

sdis — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 16:31:45 -0800

Merkur Safety Razors (for Shaving): Pros and cons? For sensitive skin? Anything I should know? I saw a post on Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools about the Merkur Classic Safety Razor (http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/000979.php), and was excited, since it's a new gadget. I have sensitive skin, and like a close shave. Is this a good option? If not, any better options out there? (Currently use a Mach3 Turbo and some italian shave cream/oil)

Straight razor anyone?

horseblind — Wed, 28 Sep 2005 13:05:00 -0800

I have read several posts here on shaving and have recently decided that I would like to give the straight razor a try. Before I do so I have a few questions. 1. Is there a good substitute for a leather strop, or does the very nature of a straight razor require the strop to be leather? Is there an alternate tool that can be used in place of the strop?
2. What other tools, supplies etc. are need to start shaving with a straight razor.
3. Any tips for switching from using a Mach III type razor?
4. Any tips or general comments about your straight razor experience? (quality brands/models, etc.)

I am not looking for the cheap way out on this. My skin is sensitive and I'm willing to spend what I need to spend to keep from tearing my face up and to keep my wife happy with a smooth shave.

I prefer that all goods are animal cruelty free/not tested on animals, made by socially responsible companies.